NTSB CEN25LA377 — 2025-09-13 · Lancaster, Texas, United States

Current FAA registration · N7774A

Make / Model: CESSNA 172F
Year of manufacture: 1964 · 61 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR 0-300 SER (145 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19641015
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S AA85ED

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N7774A Cessna 172F None

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s inadequate fuel planning and failure to monitor the fuel consumption which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

Factual narrative

The pilot intended to complete a 4-hour night flight while following a company multi-engine airplane. Before departure, the airplane was serviced with about 18 gallons of fuel; the main fuel tanks were full (36 gallons usable), and the auxiliary fuel tank was empty. The pilot thought that the airplane contained 53 gallons of usable fuel, even though the auxiliary tank was empty. During final approach to the destination airport the engine lost total power, and the pilot made a forced landing into the airport perimeter fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel tanks remained intact and undamaged. A few ounces of fuel were found in the left main tank, and the right main and auxiliary tanks were empty. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

— Aircraft-Fluids/misc hardware-Fluids-Fuel-Fluid management
— Personnel issues-Task performance-Planning/preparation-Fuel planning-Pilot
— Personnel issues-Task performance-Inspection-Preflight inspection-Pilot
— Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Knowledge-Knowledge of equipment-Pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2025_CEN25LA377.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

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Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (fuel exhaustion). All research papers